What electrical engineering services do you provide for product development?
Most products require more than electrical engineering. We provide embedded digital design and full printed circuit board (PCB) layout that typical electronic engineers provide, but Launching Ideas goes beyond that and provide a full turn-key solution for your product.

Do you create embedded systems?
Yes we do! An embedded system is a basic computer system that has very few dedicated tasks that it must accomplish either electrically or mechanically. Many products now can benefit from some sort of embedded control, from simply playing music to controlling your car.

What software do you use for PCB layout and schematic capture?
We currently use Altium Designer.

Do I own the Gerber data after the job is complete?
Yes, after the design is approved, all PCB data is yours unless otherwise contractually bound.

Which micro-controllers do you program?
We use PIC micro-controllers. When it comes to a production environment we have found PIC to be the most readily available chips around. No more being stuck due to sole sourcing or production under-runs.

Can you design membrane switches for the user interface?
Absolutely. Membrane switches are a simple way of adding a user interface to an electrical system. Creating a whole integrated product is our preference as we can ensure brand guidelines are adhered to and the overall user experience is maximized.

Do you develop with FPGAs?
Field Programmable Gate Arrays are very powerful devices for creating embedded systems, unfortunately we currently do not offer FPGA design. We fully intend to move our more complex embedded systems towards that direction in the future.

Why use Launching Ideas for mechanical engineering?

1. Our highest goal to provide top quality design and see you succeed!
2. We are strategic and act quickly.
3. You have the same engineer from start to finish
4. No project is too small

Can I receive a 3D print of my designs?
Of course, though the cost will be determined on the size and volume of the print.

Projects can be complex, how do I track its progress?
As a customer, an email will be sent allowing you to log in, track and comment on changes. All you need is your web browser with Adobe Reader plug-in installed and you are good to go!

Will I own the drawing files?
Yes. Upon project completion the data is yours. We may reserve some rights to display non-intellectual property related material for marketing purposes.

What if I don’t like the way something looks?
Our engineers want your input on designs, so as a member you have an advantage to see how the project develops to ensure that you get what you want.

How soon can I see a working prototype?
Some projects are simple and do not require iterations or market testing, so those can go into manufacturing immediately upon our agreement. More involved projects may require rapid prototypes for sanity checks, cosmetic and market evaluation. Regardless, if you want a prototype out of sequence we can make one.

Can I show the designs or drawings to others?
This depends. If there is intellectual property (IP) involved that we rely on for future payment then contractually you are not permitted. If we are strictly providing services for you and it is your IP, then you can, but why risk it?

Can I contact the fabrication shop directly?
We do not recommend it, our manufacturers take a very dim view of this action.

Why use Launching Ideas?
Quality is our number one goal, we go the extra distance to see our work help your product succeed. We can go much further than branding your product, just look at our other services!

What branding service packages do you offer?
• Logo Package A: 3 different logo designs with up to 5 revisions included
• Logo Package B: 3 different logo designs with up to 10 revisions included
• Brand Guidelines Package: A complete package that includes all of the details in your brand. This includes logo,
color, and typography guides for your brand.
• Stationary Design Package: We create all the stationary assets that you would need for you business (letterhead,
envelopes, notepads, and business cards)

Is a brand more than a logo? Why do I need brand identity?
Yes, a brand is more than just a logo. Your brand is the main vehicle by which you communicate to your customers. It
encompasses all the touch points that your customer interacts with from packaging to social media. A brand identity is important because they are the visual aspects that form the the basis for brands. This is how your customers will primarily connect with your brand and emotionally connects them with your company or products.

What are brand guidelines?
Brand Guidelines are a set of standards created for consistent use of your logo and brand identity. This includes color, typography, and a guide for keeping your brand message consistent to your customers.

Is a logo the same as a tagline?
No. Though that can be part in the same, typically a logo is the graphic and a tagline is a brief statement regarding the brand or product associated with the logo. A good example of the difference would be the famous golden arches logo for McDonald’s brand and the tagline, “I’m Iovin’ it."

What are brand guidelines?
Branding guidelines dictate what type, colors and shapes can be used when displaying a product or company’s information. Keeping all this data i one coherent package maintains brand identity setting your brand apart form the
rest.

I printed my logo and the colors don’t match what I see on screen.
Computer monitors display color in Red Green Blue (RGB) and most printers print in cyan magenta yellow and black (CMYK). So you may see a a difference between what you see on screen and what is printed.

What else can I do with my logo?
We can put your logo on business cards, magnets, notepads and more.

Do I have the rights to my logo once I purchase it?
Yes. Once you purchase your logo, you have the rights to use it just about any way you wish. For the legal specifics, you can read our terms of service, here ..

Can I trademark my logo?
Yes. When you order a logo, the design is a unique combination of an icon, text, company name, spacing, and colors, etc. so it is very likely you can trademark your logo for your industry.